mjsafari

Okay so we go to Chili's last night for dinner. I look over the menu and decide to get boneless buffalo wings. Now I know they have breading and I was having a creamy bleu cheese dressing, but I was only going to eat half. I was actually pretty proud of myself because I chose not to order a dinner, just the wings. As my husband said if you don't need it, don't order it. So I followed the rules - ate slow, chewed well, put my fork down and was full on half. Good for me - I thought. I brought the other half for lunch today - again full on 4 wings. So then I got the bright idea to go check the nutrition on my very yummy wings. OMG - if it would help I would throw them all up! Over 1000 calories, 85 grams of fat and 50 carbs! I can't tell how much of that is in the dressing because they don't list it separately, but that doesn't really matter because I had some dressing by itself!:eek: Well lesson learned I guess or just accepted. I am counting this as my TOM binge (even though that was over last Friday) and will try to make better choices. I am NOT getting on the scale until I see my surgeon for another fill next Wednesday. It has not moved in several day! I am mad that I had to get an unfill and confused about how much I should have put back in. I am tired of being hungry. Enough ranting, this to shall pass I hope!

I can tell you from my husband's experience, he has to drink hot liquid before he can eat anything. He was banded in May and has not had any fills, he has been sliming since about 2 weeks out. He will fix coffee or tea before he eats or orders it when we are eating out. After the hot liquid he can usually get food down, he has been able to eat meat, but it has to be very moist.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/june-2007-bandsters-33199/index162.html Be sure and join us on the June 2007 board. Everyone is having very different levels of success.

does your surgeon have a nutritionist that you could talk to? They may be able to suggest a change that would help. I have had success without exercise, but it is quickly becoming apparent that won't last. If you aren't exercising, that may be something to consider. I would suggest reviewing your sodium intake, you want to keep that low so the water you are drinking will flush through your system versus being retained. Maybe replace the soup with a protein, so you are getting at least 45-60grams per day. Some one had posted once that you need to get in at least 1000 cals or your body will go in to starvation mode and stop your weight loss. Keep looking around, I am sure there are more suggestions on here. Good Luck!

April - What are you liquids? If they aren't low cal, low carb, you may want to consider a change. My husband and I used SlimFast low carb protein drinks with success pre-op. For snacks between protein, we had egg drop soup or just chicken broth, and SF/FF Popsicles. We also did not have any carbonated soda - even sugar/calorie free. We drank mostly water, but had iced tea with Splenda or Stevia sometimes. Hope this helps! Good Luck

No drinking 30 minutes before, during, and 1 hour after a meal. I find it very hard to get all my fluids in for the day though with that schedule.

I can't say enough nice things about Dr. Malley. He is great and really cares about his patients. Congrats on your decision and you are definitely making the right choice in a surgeon.

KarenB - thanks for info on the photos. I am been thinking about taking some. I have one of my husband and I pre-band that I need to scan in and have new photos next to. I think that will help. Congrats on your success! You are an inspiration! RubyJane - GREAT JOB! Keep it up! Stories like yours help those behind you to keep going. Erin - thanks for the encouragement. I have been looking for NSVs, because the scale can be very frustrating!

Thanks BetsyJane - my BMI is so high because I am only 5 foot tall. Amazingly I had no co-morbidities, but since it was high, I was approved by insurance very quickly after my 6 month supervised diet. It is amazing how much better I feel even after only 45lbs. I definitely feel like I am on the right track - time will tell, but it feels great right now!

I don't but I would like to know. I was thinking we needed to start a Junies pictures thread, so we could see our progress.

HazelBunny - BIG congrats! I am a little frustrated because even after 45lbs I haven't changed clothes sizes - but things I have fit better. I put my favorite pants on today. The were snug around my legs even when I was standing up, but I noticed today that they have movement - YEAH! I recently tried some clothes on at Fashion Bug and was disappointed that I am not a 24 yet - but I have pretty much been in denial that I was anything over a 24 anyway, so I have to accept that and keep going. I also noticed today that my seat belt fits better and the steering wheel doesn't rub my belly when I drive! It is happening, but not fast enough for me!

Heather - I personally would like to hear your not nice experiences, if it is something you would like to share. I think the good and the bad help me with my journey. If there is anything we could do to help you with yours, I am sure us Junies would do it.

There is definitely ALOT of goods and bads on LBT. I felt like I knew every possibility out there before I got my band. I had a fill last Monday and could not eat or drink anything without pain. I knew this meant I was too tight, but because of info on here that some people loosen up after a couple of days I waited to get unfilled. BUT I only waited 3 days - when I couldn't get anything in, not even liquids, I knew I needed an unfill. I didn't wait until I PBd. I had 1cc taken out and am fine now. I do get the full feeling - golf ball in the esophagus, but that is my signal to STOP eating. If I pay attention to that I won't PB. In fact even being over filled I have never truly PBd. My husband on the other hand has PBd alot. He does have to be conscious of what he eats when he is out. BUT that is because he has had restriction from day 1 and has not needed a fill at all. He has first bite syndrome. He slimes without even having eaten. I knew how to explain and help him through all of this because of the information available on this board. He is working through all the issues and loves his band - how can you not with 75lbs lost in a 2 months! Our surgeon's nurse said - he never got a change to "learn" with his band, he has had to deal with all the possible issues from the beginning. But he is dealing with it, is feeling great, and would be happy to tell anyone about how great the band is. I am very sorry that the OP is having so much trouble, but glad that she still loves her band. If she listens to the advice given, gets an unfill, I think from personal experience, she will feel a whole lot different. I hope she posts how things turn out for her. It is a journey not a race.

Janine - I do have a great doc and support staff. I was very concerned about erosion or slipping if I was too tight. It is much easier to have a little out and then work back up than to deal with something worse. I now have to be diligent about my portions, so I don't gain back what I lost this week! Insub - I appreciate everyone's posts and experiences and hope mine was helpful to others. Have a great Friday everyone!

For your sweet tooth, I would highly recommend this if you can find it. We get them at Wal-mart. You cut 6 bananas in half, insert the stick, then freeze the bananas for one hour. Warm the bag of chocolate up in hot Water, pour in to a shallow bowl and dip the bananas. Nutritional facts: 60 cal, 5g fat, 4g carbs (in the chocolate) They also come in strawberry and Peanut Butter.

BigBaby - I am so glad it went well! You are now back on the road. Well I had to give in and have a slight unfill. Everything I ate and drank hurt. Good news - I had lost 6 lbs since Monday, but I really needed to eat a little more. He had put 3 ccs in on Monday, giving me a total of 7ccs in my 10cc band. I called the nurse today, she said if you can come now I will take some out. It was after hours, but she stayed around for me! She took me to the fluro room, so I finally got to see my band and I got to watch her access the port. All went well and it was painless, we decided to take out 1cc. The water didn't hurt, so I knew it was better. We went out to dinner and I was able to eat without pain - unfortunately I could eat more than I should have. I was so hungry though after barely eating for 3 1/2 days! I am scheduled again for the 15th, so I may need a little back in. Where are FaithMD and Nina? I haven't seen them post in awhile. Have a good night - GET SOME SLEEP :-)

Suzzane - Sorry - the only single chief's fan I know is my niece - she is a hotty, but she is in California! I can't wait for the season to start! Darr - I am not going to promise the feeling will pass - I felt crappy most of the 2 weeks I was on the pre-op, so much so I cheated. I don't recommend that though, I almost didn't get my band, because my liver was still large even after losing 11lbs. My surgeon is great though and got me done. I kept reminding myself that this was not my permenent diet, I had 38 years to eat anything that I wanted, and my kids need me! My body fights hard when I don't feed it carbs, so looking back I probably should have thrown a regular protein shake in sometimes, instead of the low carb ones to help will some of the headaches and hunger.

That is the way I understood it. With restriction you are forced to chew more and eat slower, and then your pouch fills up sending that full signal. I just can't seem to convince the rest of my stomach that it is full! LOL I can feel full, but my stomach still rumbles - very frustrating.

Nope no bun - he is really in to watching his carbs. QT has cheese and chili now for their hot dogs, one of his favorite things to eat, so he couldn't resist getting the hot dog with chili and cheese. Well after that experience he said no more QT hot dogs for him!:phanvan

Janine - I did not feel any difference with my first fill of 4ccs (10cc AP band). BUT with my 2nd fill there was definitely a difference. I can feel everything slide down - kind of weird, but I am trying to "listen" to my body and figure out how to work with the band. I agree with insub on the "stuck" food. I watched my husband PB - he was eating a hot dog - he didn't chew the first bite well, but didn't get a reaction right away, so he had about 3 more bites. He put the hot dog down and started to drive, but then he was pulling over and opening the car door - everything came right back out. I think when we chew well or eat mushies they don't trigger the stoma to push back. The food is sitting in our pouch and slowly passing through the stoma. LadyHR - the Large AP is 14cc - that is what my husband has. Doc says he has some Fluid in from surgery and he hasn't had a fill yet, because he has been tight from about 2 weeks out. He has an appt today, so I am interested to see what the doc says. He is down 71lbs from May!

Suzanne - others on here have mentioned tightening up, even 2 weeks after their fill. I think it is smart for you to have the doc check it out. I am extremely tight after my fill on Monday, but have decided to wait and see if it loosens up. I have another appt. in 2 weeks, so I will see how it goes. I got about 1/2 a package of oatmeal down this morning. Definitely have the tightness in my chest from the first bite, but if I wait between bites, like I am supposed to, then I can get some more in. No sliming or PB's for me either - Knock on wood. I don't want to do that, I have watched my husband do it! Insub - I think we can talk about anything here and someone else will have experienced the same thing - especially on this thread!

If alcoholics or drug addicts walked around with their addictions showing - would anyone dare to make fun of them? Does anyone make fun of an obvious anorexic they pass on the street? NOPE - then why is it acceptable to make comments about overweight people? My husband won't tell me if someone gives me a look or a whispered comment, because he knows I will be right there in their face. I really don't care what people think about me, but I do care if they think it is okay to say something - especially if there are children around. Are they teaching their kids to hate everyone different from them or just fat people? Okay now I am on a tangent - I will step off!

I missed the opportunity to say Hi to both of you then! I was there yesterday also - 5Jacks - I came in not long before they called you, with my little blonde haired girl! I must have just missed Tracyinks also! 5Jacks - I was wondering how long you had been banded because I heard you say you were getting a fill, I thought you looked like you could be at your goal! I see you are down 71lbs from Jan - Congrats! Your boys were very quiet while they waited for you by the way. Mine went in with me and watched everything the Doc did.

Toni - Welcome back, we have missed you! BigBaby - so sorry about your port, hopefully it can be resolved quickly. I am now 1 day post 2nd fill. I managed last night to get about 5 table spoons of mashed potatoes in and one slice of a peach, but it took me a couple of hours. I had mashed potatoes this morning, but again it took a long time and I can feel every bite in my throat or my back. Water goes down, but it has to sit for a minute. I really really really don't want to get an unfill, but I wonder if I am too tight?? I have to be on soft foods for the next couple of days anyway, so I think I am going to wait it out. Is this how others have felt after a fill and then it loosened up?

Back from my 2nd fill today. When I drank the water after the fill it kind of sat in the back of my throat. I didn't feel like it was going to come back up, just that is was sitting there and then trickling down my throat. Doc asked if I wanted some out, but I said no, I would like to see if I can work with it. I forgot to ask how much he put in - he said all of my previous 4ccs were there. I had a Campbell's soup at hand, Velvety potato, when I got home. It has gone down, but I am only able to drink 1/2 of it. I feel full, but still hungry, because it is my TOM! This is a very hard time for me - I am always ravenously hungry the first couple of days. Hopefully this fill will help that!